Walter McGowan


Walter McGowan, MBE, was a Scottish boxer born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. He was known for having been the world flyweight champion.
He was the son of Thomas McGowan, who had boxed under the name of "Joe Gans".
He was a skillful boxer, who showed brilliant footwork and knew how to use the ring. However, he suffered throughout his career with cuts, often having fights stopped despite being ahead on points. Without this failing, he would have had an even more successful career.

Amateur career

McGowan won the 1961 Amateur Boxing Association British flyweight title, when boxing out of the Royal Albert ABC.
He suffered only two defeats in 124 amateur bouts.

Professional career

He had his first professional fight in August 1961 when he fought George McDade at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, winning by a technical knockout in the third round.
He lost his third fight to Jackie Brown on points, but then continued to build up an impressive list of wins. In his tenth fight he fought Jackie Brown for the British and Commonwealth flyweight titles. The fight was in May 1963 at the Ice rink, Paisley, and McGowan won by a knockout in the twelfth round.
In September 1963, he defended his Commonwealth title against Kid Solomon from Jamaica. The fight was in Paisley, and McGowan won by a technical knockout in the ninth round.
In April 1964, he challenged for the European flyweight title, held by Italian, Salvatore Burruni. The fight was held in the Olympic Stadium, Rome, and McGowan suffered the second defeat of his career, losing on points over fifteen rounds.
In December 1965, he stepped up a weight and challenged for the European bantamweight title, held by Italian, Tommaso Galli. The fight was again in Rome and ended as a draw after fifteen rounds.
In June 1966, he again fought Salvatore Burruni, this time for the world flyweight championship, which Burruni held. They met at the Empire Pool, Wembley, and McGowan won a fifteen-round points decision to gain that world title, despite sustaining a badly gashed eye in the seventh round. Cuts were to prove a major problem in his career.
In September 1966, he fought Alan Rudkin at the Empire Pool, for the British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles that he held. McGowan scored another fifteen-round points win, despite suffering a cut eye in the tenth round.
In December 1966, he defended his world title against Chartchai Chionoi in Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai fighter won and took the title when McGowan suffered a badly cut nose in the ninth round, and the referee was forced to stop the fight.
The two boxers had a re-match at the Empire Pool in September 1967, but again the Thai boxer won and kept his title, when cuts to both McGowan's eyes and his forehead caused the referee to stop the fight in the seventh.
In McGowan's next fight, in May 1968, he lost his British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles to Alan Rudkin. The fight was at Belle Vue, Manchester and Rukin won by a fifteen-round points decision.
McGowan fought six more fights, all against foreign boxers, winning them all, before retiring. His last fight was in November 1969 against Domenico Antonio Chiloiro.

Retirement

He became the first Scottish world-boxing champion to be so honoured when he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1967 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, alongside the likes of Scottish boxing great Ken Buchanan.

Later life and death

McGowan died at Monklands Hospital at Airdrie, North Lanarkshire on 15 February 2016. He had been in poor health in his later years and was living in a nursing home in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes
40Win32–7–1Domenico ChiloiroPTS8Nov 11, 1969Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
39Win31–7–1Umberto SimbolaPTS8Aug 13, 1969 San Remo, Liguria, Italy
38Win30–7–1Michel HoudeauTKO4 Apr 28, 1969Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
37Win29–7–1Messaoud BoussabouaPTS8Dec 17, 1968Hotel Metropole Sporting Club, Brighton, Sussex, England
36Win28–7–1Marc Van DommeTKO7 Nov 26, 1968Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
35Win27–7–1Gerard MacrezTKO4 Oct 23, 1968Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
34Loss26–7–1Alan RudkinPTS15May 13, 1968King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, Lancashire, EnglandLost BBBofC British Area and Commonwealth bantamweight titles
33Loss26–6–1Chartchai ChionoiTKO7 Sep 19, 1967Empire Pool, Wembley, London, EnglandFor WBC and The Ring flyweight titles
32Win26–5–1Antoine PorcelPTS10Jul 10, 1967Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
31Win25–5–1Giancarlo CentaPTS8May 10, 1967Civic Hall, Solihull, West Midlands, England
30Win24–5–1Isao MiyashitaTKO9 Mar 15, 1967Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
29Loss23–5–1Chartchai ChionoiTKO9 Dec 30, 1966Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, ThailandLost The Ring flyweight title;
For vacant WBC flyweight title
28Win23–4–1Jose BisbalTKO5 Nov 16, 1966Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
27Win22–4–1Alan RudkinPTS15Sep 6, 1966Empire Pool, Wembley, London, EnglandWon vacant BBBofC British Area and Commonwealth bantamweight titles
26Win21–4–1Salvatore BurruniPTS15Jun 14, 1966Empire Pool, Wembley, London, EnglandWon The Ring flyweight title
25Win20–4–1Ernesto MirandaPTS8Mar 28, 1966Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
24Win19–4–1Nevio CarbiTKO6 Jan 6, 1966Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London, England
23Draw18–4–1Tommaso GalliPTS15Dec 3, 1965Palazzetto dello Sport, Roma, Lazio, ItalyFor EBU bantamweight title
22Loss18–4Ronnie JonesTKO6 Aug 20, 1965Ice Rink, Paisley, Scotland
21Loss18–3José MedelTKO6 Jun 1, 1965Empire Pool, Wembley, London, England
20Win18–2Benny LeePTS10Apr 23, 1965Palazzetto dello Sport, Roma, Lazio, Italy
19Win17–2Felix Said BramiPTS10Feb 23, 1965Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, England
18Win16–2Mick HusseyTKO3 Jan 20, 1965Midlands Sporting Club, Solihull, West Midlands, England
17Win15–2Luis RodriguezTKO2 Nov 25, 1964Midlands Sporting Club, Solihull, West Midlands, England
16Win14–2Natalio JimenezPTS10Sep 3, 1964Ice Rink, Paisley, Scotland
15Loss13–2Salvatore BurruniPTS15Apr 24, 1964Stadio Olimpico, Roma, Lazio, ItalyFor EBU flyweight title
14Win13–1Risto LuukkonenPTS10Mar 4, 1964Ice Rink, Paisley, Scotland
13Win12–1Ric MagramoPTS10Nov 28, 1963Ice Rink, Paisley, Scotland
12Win11–1Killer SolomonTKO9 Sep 12, 1963Ice Rink, Paisley, ScotlandRetained Commonwealth flyweight title
11Win10–1Ray PerezTKO9 Jun 27, 1963Ice Rink, Paisley, Scotland
10Win9–1Jackie BrownKO12 May 2, 1963Ice Rink, Paisley, ScotlandWon BBBofC British Area and Commonwealth flyweight titles
9Win8–1Bernard JubertPTS8Jan 31, 1963Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
8Win7–1Ray JutrasTKO6 Nov 14, 1962Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
7Win6–1René LibeerTKO6 Oct 16, 1962Empire Pool, Wembley, London, England
6Win5–1Jacques JacobKO6 Sep 20, 1962Glasgow, Scotland
5Win4–1Danny LeePTS8Jun 14, 1962Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
4Win3–1Brian BissmirePTS8Dec 16, 1961Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
3Loss2–1Jackie BrownPTS8Oct 25, 1961Ice Rink, Paisley, ScotlandFor BBBofC Scottish Area flyweight title
2Win2–0Eddie BarracloughPTS8Sep 22, 1961Town Hall, Hamilton, Scotland
1Win1–0George McDadeTKO3 Aug 9, 1961Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland